American Institute for Stuttering Receives $715,000 Grant from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) today announced receiving

a grant from Atlanta-based The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in the amount of $715,000. The grant will support AIS' mission of providing universally affordable, specialized stuttering treatment and support in the Southeast.

Over 70 million people world-wide stutter, impacting 5-8% of children and at least 1% of adults. There are only two other Speech-Language-Pathologists in the state of Georgia who are specialists in stuttering and given that Atlanta is the third fastest growing area in the nation, there is clearly a great need for therapists with this stuttering expertise. Given the current population, there are an estimated 60,000 people who stutter in the Atlanta metro area alone.

According to Heather Grossman, Director of American Institute for Stuttering, "Stuttering can very negatively impact a person's life, and it remains largely misunderstood by the public. Children who stutter are often bullied, and stuttering is still a source of mockery in the media. In addition to providing effective therapy and support, AIS is dedicated to educating the public and spreading awareness about stuttering in a variety of settings. We are thrilled to be able to expand our services to the Atlanta Metropolitan Area."

AIS works to make stuttering treatment universally affordable. Stuttering therapy is usually not covered by health insurance, which makes it challenging for many people to get top-level treatment. The funding from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, along with the AIS scholarship fund, makes it so that everyone can get excellent therapy, regardless of their financial situation.

Since opening the Atlanta office in late 2016, AIS has offered individual and group therapy for children, teens, and adults who stutter, conducted several specialty workshops, and has hosted several community-based activities. "The grant from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is timely and will excel our vision of helping those who stutter of all ages in Atlanta," said Carl Herder, Clinic Director of the Atlanta center. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with such a wonderful foundation."

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has been investing in innovative programs that transform the lives of youth and their families since 1995. "Having struggled with stuttering myself, I have made it my mission to continue to help the stuttering community," said Arthur Blank, chairman of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. "The American Institute for Stuttering is truly a world-class operation, and I look forward to their growth and efforts in the greater Atlanta area." Arthur M. Blank has been a long-time supporter of AIS and the therapies they provide.

Over the next five years, AIS will use the grant funding to expand the team, expand the physical space, and make stuttering therapy available to an even greater number of people in this area. The center will be renamed The Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Therapy. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on October 19th, just in time for International Stuttering Awareness Day on October 22nd.

About the Arthur M. Blank Family FoundationFormed in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation promotes innovative solutions to transforming the lives of youth and their families, seeking results that move communities beyond what seems possible today. Since its inception, the Foundation has invested more than $300 million in education, parks and greenspace, youth development, community redevelopment, and the arts, and leads giving programs for each of the Blank Family of Businesses, including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, PGA TOUR Superstore, Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, and West Creek Ranch.

Mr. Blank, chairman of the Foundation, co-founded The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. For more information about The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, visit www.blankfoundation.org or follow @BlankFamilyFoundation on Facebook and @BlankFoundation on Twitter.

About American Institute for StutteringFor more than 20 years, the American Institute for Stuttering has been providing universally affordable, state-of-the-art speech therapy to people of all ages who stutter, guidance to their families, and much-needed clinical training to speech professionals wishing to gain expertise in stuttering. Through their unique combination of one-on-one therapy, specialty group workshops, and week-long immersion programs, AIS employs a holistic approach to stuttering treatment for clients around the US and over a dozen countries worldwide.

For more information about the American Institute for Stuttering, visit www.stutteringtreatment.org or follow @StutteringTx on Twitter and @StutteringTreatment on Facebook.

Contact: Heather Grossman, hgrossman@stutteringtreatment.org

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SOURCE American Institute for Stuttering

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